NO TO BRITISH SUBJECT

04 October 2006

To Whom it may concern

As a owner of flats and bedsits I am very particular who I allow to rent my properties so I phrase my adverts in such away that I only get the right tenant. This sometimes takes time but most of my tenants become long-term residents
With a big shortfall in housing I decided to invest in converting part of my Martial Arts Centre, the centre is a large old church, these flats are now finished so I approached the local newspapers to advertise. Part of my advert was “British Subjects Only” I was told to include this would be illegal as it was considered racist and I was quoted the following from the Race Relations Act.:

Housing
It is unlawful for anyone selling, letting or managing property (including business premises) to discriminate in any of the following ways:
in the terms on which a person are offered the premises
by refusing to let a person buy the premises
by treating a person differently from others who want to buy or rent
by refusing to transfer a lease to someone
by refusing access to any benefits or facilities at the premises
by evicting you or subjecting a person to other disadvantages


My first question was how am I being racist? A British Subject can be someone of any colour or race!

Why would I want to put restrictions on who I want?
1) I do not want any criminals in my property someone who has entered this country illegally is a criminal.
2) I am looking for tenants who will be long term, these foreign workers, so we are told by the government, will only be here for a short term a transient work force.
3) I do not want potential terrorists renting my accommodation, if the government cannot keep a check on people entering this country how can I?
4) As by law I have to give them a rental agreement they will have to read English
5) But most importantly of all as I have a Martial Arts Club in part of the building, so I have a duty of care if not a legal duty to the children who use the Club. So if I have doubts on anyone I can ask for a Criminal Records Bureaux check to see if they have any criminal records or if they are a threat to the children. How can I make a CRB check on some one who is not a British Subject? Since this government came into power in 1997 immigration has spiralled out of control but more importantly there is no check on the status of people who enter this country legally or illegally so murderers, paedophiles etc are coming into this country in there thousands.

Whether it is legal or not I intend to keep on making stringent checks on my tenants, the safety of the children is much more important then some Politically Correct law.

I wonder what ever happened to the English’s freedom of speech, association and choice. These are my flats I receive no government aid only hindrance, I should have who I like in my property, if this was a free country I would.